I realize that just last week I  shared a recipe for Cornmeal Muffins (and they are THE authentic cornmeal muffins from the Wayside Inn, so I hope you tried them), but then I came across another of Robin Benzle‘s terrific videos in which she combines two mainstays of our ancestors food cupboard–and a third mainstay for good measure–in a new twist on cornbread.

Cornmeal, pumpkin and molasses. Three basics of colonial cooking go into this cornbread.

Robin Benzle’s Pumpkin Pecan Cornbread

Here’s a video of Robin’s Pumpkin Pecan Cornbread with Molasses-Butter. Good by itself, the bread reaches sublime when you add the molasses-butter. Following the video, I have added a recipe you can print.

I have to admit this recipes cheats a bit and uses the modern pre-packaged cornbread mix, but if you want to be authentic, it would be easy to mix your Wayside Inn Old Mill ground cornmeal into the usual cornbread recipe and then add the additional ingredients.

Previously, we shared Robin’s mom’s Tuna-Macaroni Salad under our nostalgia category. Thanks for another terrific recipe, Robin.

Print

Quick Pumpkin Pecan Cornbread and Molasses Butter

Jiffy Cornbread mix and canned pumpkin make a delicious quick bread to spread with molasses butter.

Course Bread

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Author Vera Marie Badertscher

Ingredients

• 2 Boxes Jiffy Corn Bread Mix
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 and 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie mix
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tbsp sugar or brown sugar
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans

Molasses Butter

• 1/4 Cup butter room temperature
• 2 tsp molasses

Instructions

• Heat oven to 375, and grease loaf pan or 9" x 13" cake pan.
• Mix all ingredients together and pour into prepared pan.
• Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean--about 25 minutes.
• While bread is baking, set out a stick of butter to soften.
• Cool in pan for 10 minutes
• Cut butter in chunks and put in small dish. Pour molasses over top. With a fork or spoon, mash the molasses into the butter, until the color is uniform. Chill or leave at room temperature for serving.
• Cut and serve from pan, or turn out on cooling rack. When completely cool, store in plastic bag, or wrapped in foil for two days at room temperature or longer in refrigerator. Serve with molasses butter

Notes

You can use 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice instead of the individual spices.  I give the individual spices because that gives you the ability to cut back on any you do not particularly like, or add more if you want a spicier blend.